Not So Normal Friends
by LyricsArePoetry
Summary: OC Francesca moves into Bannerman road and becomes friends with Rani, Clyde and Luke


_For Voldy - Merry Christmas_

Not So Normal Friends

Just before Christmas, Fransesca Harrison realised, was the worst possible time to start a new school. Everyone had gotten to know each other as the first term was almost over and that meant finding people to become friendly with was hard. She knew her safest bet would be her neighbours, but that would also be awkward. Having moved with her parents to number 12 Bannerman Road, Fransesca was right next door to Rani Chandra, a girl her ages and in most of her classes, a girl who was also the daughter of the headteacher - hense the possible awkwardness. There was also the possibility of becoming friends with the boy over opposites. Luke Smith was also her age, and also in most of her classes, but becoming friends with him would also mean Rani and a boy called Clyde, who thought he was sooo cool, as well. And none of them really seemed like they wanted another friend, they weren't rude, but they weren't outrightly friendly either. Fransesca thought they seemed very secretive, as if there was something that only the three of them knew, and they weren't about to bring anyone else into.

'Hi, I'm Francesca' She said as she took the only spare seat in her science class - next to Luke. It was a slow start, but the only one she could think of, after all, what was better than an introduction to start a conversation.

'Luke' he replied, and Francesca stopped herself from telling him she already knew that. 'I love science, don't you'

'It's all right' Francesca said, smiling friendlily. It was the only truthful answer she could give, it wasn't her favourite lesson, but it certainly wasn't her worse.

'All right?' Luke looked horrified. 'Science is practically knowledge itself. Everything eventually comes back to science, it's the root of everything. The earth, the sun, the universe, it's all science'

Francesca couldn't help but laugh at Luke's enthusiasm, and she made a mental note to go to him if she ever need a science tutor. 'Fair enough'

'Of course that's just my opinion' said Luke, blushing slightly as he remembered Clyde's rules to being 'cool'.

Francesca put her friendly smile back on 'It's a good opinion' she told him 'and there's nothing wrong with being enthusiatic'

'I don't think my friends would agree with you' Luke said. 'Clyde thinks it's uncool to be so into science'

'Well... maybe Cylde isn't always right' said Francesca.

'I'll agree with you on that one, just never say it in front of him' said Luke and the lesson started before Francesca has a chance to say anything else.

FH

After that science lesson, Francesca spoke to Luke a few more times, and was soon invited to sit with them at lunch. A offer she quickly took him up on, anything was better than sitting alone. It still felt to her however, like she was an outsider, like there was something she needed to know to truly fit in with them, and it wasn't something they were going to tell her. She tried to talk to them about normal teenage things, music, lessons, interests, boys when it was just Rani around, and they were polite, there were friendly, but something stopped it from being a normal proper friendship. She liked Luke though, she couldn't deny it to herself, even though she would deny it to anyone who asked, something about him interested her. He was almost impossibly smart, and it was as though he remembered everything. Every little detail. She couldn't help but think that everything about him was amazing. The worst thing was though, he didn't seem interesting in having a girlfriend. This was Francesca's first thought at least, soon she started to wonder if she reason he didn't seem interested in girls was because the girl he did like had moved to America.

FH

'What are you lot hiding?' Francesca finally asked on the last day of term.

'What'd you mean?' Rani asked, her face a picture of innocence.

'The three of you, it's impossible to get too close' explained Francesca. 'It's like there's something only the three of you know and only the three of you can know. It's like there's only so much you can talk about and then you have to go quiet and secretive'

'I think _somebody's _reading a little too much into nothing' Cylde said, trying to play the subject down.

'I'm not' Francesca replied, 'it's not like you'd admit it if there was something'

'So why ask?' Luke asked 'If you know you wouldn't be told' he couldn't work out why Clyde sent him a warning look, but he knew to stay quiet there.

'Because I just wanted to check that I wasn't imagining things' replied Francesca 'and now I've realised...'

'That you were' said Clyde

'No' Francesca said firmly 'now you've all confirmed that there is something'

'How?' Luke asked 'how have we confirmed there is something by saying there isn't?'

'By getting so defencive. Jeez Luke for a smart boy you can be pretty dumb'

'I've been told that before' Luke muttered, while Clyde said 'tell me about it'

'Look, Frankie' Rani started.

'_Francesca' _

'Sorry, look, Francesca, you really are reading too much into this' Rani continued. 'The three of us are just so used to each other that it would appear different to someone else'

'It's more than that' Francesca said 'and I know I'm not going to get anything more out of you, so I'll see you... whenever.' she started to walk away, and realised they may think she was annoyed with them, so turned back, smiled and say 'Have a great Christmas'. Before starting walking home

FH

Francesca was halfway home when she realised she had left a book at school. She wanted to just leave it, it was the holidays and she was on her way home, but she couldn't because it was necessary for some homework. _Homework _she thought annoyedly as she walked back towards school _so much for Christmas spirit. _

Once she had reached the school again, she had to blink three times before she believed what she saw. Not that she could even see it properly, it was moving too fast. All she could really tell was it was big, it was purple, it wasn't human and it was after Rani, Luke and Clyde. It took a moment after she had thought these fact for her to realise what exactly that meant. Her friends - distant as they may be, they were friends - were being chased by something not human.

_This explains so much _she thought as she dropped her back-pack and ran towards the purple-thing. She didn't so much as think before she acted, but as soon as she reached it she threw her arms around it and pushed it to the ground. As she did so she fell herself, hitting the ground so hard she almost fell unconscious.

'Oh my word' Rani screamed, staring at her.

'This is why I said "don't make a new friend"' Clyde said 'but does anyone listen to me _nooo _of course not'

'Shut up, Clyde' Rani said, hitting him on the arm.

Luke bent down next to Francesca as Rani and Clyde checked on the alien. The alien was unconscious - or dead, neither Rani or Clyde knew enough about it to be certain - while Francesca was fine, if a little light headed.

'I knew you were hiding something' she muttered, as Luke helped her away from the alien and into a standing position 'but I did not expect aliens'

'She's a bit calm' Clyde whispered to Rani.

Rani just shrugged.

'Are you all right?' Luke asked Francesca who looked like she was going to fall over.

'I'm... fine' Francesca replied, almost toppling as she spoke.

'I think you should sit back down' Luke said, leading her towards the stairs and helping her sit on them.

'I'm fine' she repeated.

'I guess we owe you our lives' Rani said, smiling.

'Of course we don't' Clyde scoffed 'We would've been fine'

Rani hit him again 'Ignore him' she told Francesca 'that alien had the ability to shoot vemon from it's mouth, if it had hit any of us it would've killed us. So thanks'

'No problem' Francesca replied. 'Good thing I left that stupid book behind'

'What book?' asked Luke.

'Science' Francesca replied 'I left it in the classroom, it's the only reason I came back'

'Clyde go and get it' Rani told him.

'What?' Clyde moaned.

'If you can't be grateful you can at least be helpful' Rani said and begrudgingly Clude went to go and get it.

'So what do we do about the alien?' asked Francesca 'I mean we can't exactly leave it in the middle of the school hallway. I think someone'll notice'

'My Mum'll sort it out' Luke replied.

'Your Mum?' Francesca asked 'Sarah Jane? I thought she was a journalist'

'She is' replied Luke 'and we're just normal school kids'

Francesca smiled 'right'

'I think we should go and get a milkshake or something' Rani said.

'Or maybe to a hospital, Frankie may have concusion' Clyde said as he returned.

Francesca glared at him 'It's Francesca' she said, 'and I am fine' she turned to Rani and smiled 'Milkshake sounds good'


End file.
